Individuals who experienced sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope following their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
The board president, heading the anti-abuse organization, stated that the Pope's decision to engage with them so early in his leadership sent a strong message about his dedication to tackling the problem.
Worldwide Strict Approach Pushed
The group is pushing for a worldwide strict approach that would defrock any clergy member who confesses to or is found guilty of abusing a minor. This policy has already been adopted in the US.
The Pope recognized that there is "resistance in some parts of the globe" to this initiative, according to Hickey.
"Everyone was practical when we acknowledged that there is resistance," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this persistent issue that has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.
Previous efforts to address the problem included an historic meeting on paedophilia within the institution and revisions to canon law to explicitly criminalize abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the campaign for global implementation of the policy is personal. The North American activist shared they were abused by a priest who was later transferred between different parishes.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his papacy, because we aim to work with him," Hickey expressed. "We have the same goal, we want to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Encounter
Seven members of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from over thirty countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The meeting, originally scheduled for a brief period, lasted to a sixty minutes, during which the religious leader "mostly listened to us," according to the representative.
The Pope was characterized as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a woman abused at a Catholic residential school for native youth in North America.
Hickey noted the leader was "compassionate" about their own story and appeared "modest, funny, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was giving us lip service," Hickey commented. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and receptive and eager to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The group is hoping that revisions to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy worldwide.
They have spoken with specialists and compiled documents that they plan to submit to Pope Leo.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey noted.
Accountability Emphasized
A recently released Vatican-commissioned report emphasized the "importance of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of religious officials or personnel in cases of abuse or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that victims repeatedly stressed the "urgent need for church leaders and major superiors to be made responsible for inaction and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey revealed they informed the Pope at the beginning of their meeting: "This is as much a challenge for him to engage in a dialogue as it was for us."
After the encounter, Hickey expressed optimism for progress.
"We understand it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but at the conclusion, uniting and building a connection and continuing to strengthen that bond is a step in the correct path," Hickey stated.
They added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Even though it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
